1959 ⟶ Soviet Luna Program Achieves Lunar Firsts
The USSR and the US both launch probes to the Moon, but NASA...
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🚀 NASA Established
July 29 marks the beginning of the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), agency newly created by the United States to catch up with Soviet space technologies. It absorbs all research centers and staffs of the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), an organization founded in 1915.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RaceCold WarGovernment AgenciesScientific OrganizationsAeronauticsNACA
United States🌑 Soviet Luna Program Achieves Lunar Firsts
The USSR and the US both launch probes to the Moon, but NASA's Pioneer probes all failed. The Soviet Luna program was more successful. Luna 2 crash-lands on the Moon's surface in September, and Luna 3 returns the first pictures of the Moon's farside in October.⟶
Space ExplorationMoonLuna ProgramSpace RaceSoviet UnionNASALunar MissionsPioneer Probes
Soviet UnionUnited States👨🚀 First Hominid and American in Space
As part of NASA's Mercury-Redstone 2 mission, the chimpanzee Ham becomes the first Hominidae in space. Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person to orbit Earth in April. NASA astronaut Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space a month later, but does not go into orbit.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RaceMercury-Redstone ProgramYuri GagarinAlan ShepardHam the Chimp
United StatesSoviet Union🚀 John Glenn Orbits Earth, Mariner 2 Flies by Venus
John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth. Mariner 2 becomes the first probe to reach another planet, flying past Venus in December. NASA follows this with the successful Mariner 4 mission to Mars in 1965, both the US and the USSR send many more probes to planets through the rest of the 1960s and 1970s.⟶
Space ExplorationNASASpace RacePlanetary ScienceVenusMarsCold WarAstronautsRockets
United States🚀 Soviet Luna 9 Soft Landing on the Moon
Soviet Luna 9 probe makes the first successful soft landing on the Moon in January, while the US lands the far more complex Surveyor missions, which follows up to NASA's Ranger series of crash-landers, scout sites for possible crewed landings.⟶
Space ExplorationMoon LandingLuna ProgramSpace RaceSoviet Union1960sSoft LandingLunar Missions
Soviet Union